My Sweet Angel
by inuyashagirl5
Summary: An InuGravitation xover. Inspiration can come in many forms. Too bad for Ryuichi, his inspiration is refusing to cooperate. Hopefully he can talk her into helping him, and at the same time maybe he can help her overcome her sadness. RyuKag
1. The Voice of an Angel

**Title: **My Sweet Angel

**Author: **inuyashagirl5

**Rating: **M

**Genre: **Romance/Drama

**Pairing: **Kagome/Ryuichi

**Disclaimer: **I do not own InuYasha or Gravitation. InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Gravitation is owned by Maki Murakami. I only borrow their characters for my own amusement and for the amusement of my readers.

**A/N: **My muse decided this was most important at this time. I apologize to those who may be waiting for me to update something else. I swear I'm trying hard to work on other stuff, but my mind wandered off again. All I ask is for feedback and please don't protest the pairing. I wanted to try it out. It was initially supposed to be a part of my drabble set, but it got away from me and is becoming something entirely its own. I hope to keep it short, but we'll see how that works out.

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_**Chapter One: The Voice of an Angel**_

It had taken him by surprise to hear it. Usually the park was empty and quiet when he came this early in the morning. So quiet that the birds weren't even singing yet. But someone was singing and she sounded beautiful.

He wanted to find her, to see the image of the girl with the heavenly voice.

Then he saw her, and that heavenly voice really did belong to that of an angel. The ethereal glow of her pale skin in the moonlight; her ebony hair blowing outwards with the breeze, if she wasn't and angel, then she had to be a siren. A siren who's voice lured him, called for him to come closer.

She stopped when she heard him approach and turned wide, beautiful blue eyes in his direction. He could tell she was scared, and then very confused.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you." Ryuichi apologized and pouted a little, "It's just...I heard you singing and it was beautiful."

"Sakuma-san?" Her voice was timid, but now he comprehended her confusion. She recognized just who he was and he was sure she that felt this situation was a bit surreal.

He gave a curt nod before answering her. "Yes, that's me. Usually no one is here when I come here at this time. It's very peaceful and it relaxes me. Why are you here?"

There was no mistaking the flash of pain in her eyes and Ryuichi frowned again. Something terrible must have happened to her for her eyes to look that sad.

"I couldn't sleep and decided to go for a walk." Her answer was short and he believed there was more to the story, but he wouldn't press it. They had just met.

"What is your name?"

He decided to make small talk with her in hopes she'd stay a little longer so he could listen to her voice. Even when she spoke it sounded melodic.

"Higurashi Kagome." She answered and surprised him by sitting down on the bench near them. He sat as well and she didn't seem to mind.

"Is it alright to call you Kagome? It's a very pretty name." Her cheeks tinted a light pink and she nodded in acceptance to his question. "Alright then, Kagome-chan. You may call me Ryuichi."

"Alright, Ryuichi-san." She smiled and it nearly stole his breath away at how much more beautiful she looked when she did it. "Do you come here often?"

"Only when I can sneak away from K." He grinned at the thought of sneaking past his friend and sometimes bodyguard. "I'm not supposed to wander off on my own, but sometimes I just want to get away on my own to think. I'm glad I snuck away this morning. Hearing you sing gave me some really wonderful ideas."

She blushed vividly at his words and ducked her head in embarrassment.

"I'm really sorry you had to hear that."

"I'm not. Like I said already, you sounded beautiful!"

"Thank you." Kagome said softly. "That means a lot coming from you."

He smiled at her, pleased that her cheeks stayed pink. He paused for a brief moment then began searching frantically through the bag he had brought with him.

"Ah! There you are!" He withdrew a thick blue notebook and a pen. He quickly threw open the notebook and started scribbling stuff down at a fast pace. He never saw Kumagoro tumble out of the bag or when Kagome leaned over to pick him up.

He only looked up when she giggled. It was so soft that he wasn't sure he had heard it. She was smiling down at the pink bunny on her lap and brushing dirt off its head and ears.

It only fueled his resolve and once again he started writing in his notebook. The words, his feelings, both came together as he wrote what he knew would be a beautiful song, but only if...

He stopped again and frowned down at what he had written. It wouldn't work out well if he couldn't get her to sing it with him. She was his inspiration, her voice had given him the idea. He couldn't let Tohma or Noriko sing it with him. It had to be her.

"Ryuichi-san, are you alright?" Kagome questioned him as she watched him stare blankly at the notebook with a frown. He blinked before looking up at her and smiling.

"I'm fine." He nodded and she relaxed. "I have a small problem, but I'm sure I can work with it."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

She really was a sweet girl! Ryuichi smirked and handed the notebook over to her. She accepted it from his hands, clearly confused.

"This." He pointed down at the words he had written, "You can help me by singing this with me when its done."

"You can't be serious! I'm nowhere near good enough to sing with you!"

Her cheeks were very red now, though he wasn't sure if she was embarrassed or angry. He hoped it was the first.

"I am very serious, Kagome-chan! Very, very serious! It wouldn't sound right without your beautiful voice!"

She flinched and shrunk away from him, clutching the bunny tighter against her. He wasn't sure why he had gotten that type of reaction out of her, but he didn't like it at all.

"I really should be getting back home now. I don't want my mother to worry if she wakes up and finds me gone. I've put her through enough as is." She set the notebook and bunny down in front of her and stood quickly. "It was very nice to meet you, Ryuichi-san. Have a nice day."

She took off before he could stop her. She ran off down the path and he pouted down at Kumagoro.

"I scared her off, Kuma-chan. I let the beautiful angel get away." Ryuichi sighed sadly and slipped his notebook back into his bag. For now his inspiration had stalled. He lifted his plush friend to his face and rubbed it against his cheek. "Aw, Kuma-chan! You smell pretty now! Let's face it. Kagome looks like an angel, she sounds like an angel and she smells heavenly. She has to be an angel!"

He only hoped he got another chance to see his angel. With another sigh he rose and made his way back to his home.

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**A/N 2: **I'm sure the question would come up, so I'm going to answer it before it's even asked. Ryuichi is 31, Kagome is 19. I'm already working on chapter two and I hope to have it up soon.


	2. Finding His Inspiration

**Title: **My Sweet Angel

**Author: **inuyashagirl5

**Rating: **M

**Genre: **Romance/Drama

**Pairing: **Kagome/Ryuichi

**Disclaimer: **I do not own InuYasha or Gravitation. InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Gravitation is owned by Maki Murakami. I only borrow their characters for my own amusement and for the amusement of my readers.

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_**Chapter Two: Finding His Inspiration**_

He certainly was acting far more hyper than usual and it was so early too.

K watched as Ryuichi babbled excitedly to Tohma about seeing and hearing a real angel. Tohma was smiling, but K knew he was probably only half listening to what his friend was saying.

He saw the relief that passed through Tohma's blue eyes the second Shuichi stepped into the hallway and Ryuichi bounced over to the pink-haired singer and launched into more adulation about the angel. Shuichi was listening far more intently than Tohma had and K was able to hear more of the story than before.

_'So he snuck out to the park again. He'll never learn.'_

K frowned when Ryuichi's eyes saddened a little as he told Shuichi how he had scared her off, but Ryuichi brightened up and loudly announced that he was going to find her and apologize. K chuckled as he continued to rant about how beautiful her voice had been and about how much he wanted others to hear it.

"Shindou." K called out, gaining both of the singer's attention. "Hiroshi and Fujisaki have been here for nearly and hour now. I suggest you get to work before I'm forced to take more serious measures to get your butt in gear."

Shuichi released a startled squeak and took off running, leaving Ryuichi pouting at his departed form.

"I was talking with Shu-chan!" He cried out and K smirked at him, motioning for Ryuichi to come closer.

"Shindou has an album to complete, Ryuichi. You can tell me about the girl instead. Did you at least get her name?" K smiled when Ryuichi's head bobbed up and down. "Well, what is it? Maybe I can help you find her."

"Her name is Kagome! Higurashi Kagome!" Ryuichi replied and K paused. He knew that name from somewhere. That was weird. "Are you listening to me, K?"

"Yes, I'm listening. I just thought the name sounded familiar." K answered then shrugged. "I can't remember where I heard it though. Ah, no matter. I'll get in touch with a friend of mine and have him see if he can come up with some information on the girl."

"Isn't that almost like stalking? I don't want to stalk her and she's already mad at me as is!" Ryuichi protested and K shook his head.

"Calm down, Ryuichi. It's not stalking. It's merely gathering a bit of information. You wanted to apologize, right?"

"Yes! Okay!" Ryuichi nodded happily, "You're the best K!"

"I've got to go and make sure Shindou is working. I'll talk to you later." K pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. He waved to Ryuichi before walking away.

After his talk with K, Ryuichi flopped down at a nearby table and flipped open his notebook. He re-read the few lines he had written and smiled to himself.

He knew it wasn't wise to get his hopes up. K could end up finding nothing on Kagome. However, he couldn't help it. He really wanted to see her again, even if it was just to apologize to her for scaring her away. He hadn't meant to do so. His excitement had gotten the better of him at that moment.

_'I should have known better! It must have been overwhelming to have someone you don't know act like that!'_

He mentally scolded himself for a few minutes longer before sighing and flipping to a clean page in his notebook. Everyone knew he loved to draw, but very few knew that he could draw really well. Right now he needed to draw and Kagome was once again the focus of his inspiration.

He only had his pen with him today, but he silently vowed to add the color in when he was able to. He delved into his mind, pulling up the image of Kagome as she had looked sitting next to him on the bench. His favorite part had been the sweet smile she wore as she dusted of Kumagoro. That was what he wanted. She had looked so caring in that brief moment.

He was well into his drawing when K returned and sat across from him. He said nothing, knowing that Ryuichi disliked being interrupted while he was drawing. The girl on the page looked really familiar to him. He had to know her if he not only recognized the face, but her name as well.

It didn't take K long to figure out where he had seen her before and he was glad to see Ryuichi sit back and look over his drawing.

"It's late, Ryuichi. Want to head out and get something to eat?"

Ryuichi was going to decline his offer until his stomach rumbled and he grinned at K.

"Sure! Kuma-chan's hungry too!"

"Well, I hope Kuma-chan doesn't mind if I make a small stop along the way. There's something I need to pick up before heading home."

"We don't mind!" Ryuichi replied and closed his notebook.

The drive to where K had last seen Kagome, or at least he believe it was the same Kagome, was short and Ryuichi squealed excitedly as they stopped outside the pet store. The singer jumped out of the car and knelt down in front of one of the big windows. A trio of various puppies yipped at him and licked at the glass.

"We're going inside, Ryuichi. Please be on your best behavior." K said and stepped into the establishment, Ryuichi skipping in behind him. K's eyes scanned the store. He didn't see the Kagome that worked there, but she usually always worked when the girl behind the counter did.

Ryuichi slipped away from him the second they were inside, making his way straight to the puppies behind the window.

"Oh! Hello again!" The girl behind the counter smiled at K as he approached. "Out of food already?"

"I knocked it over this morning." K laughed lightly at his lie and the girl giggled softly. "Are you working alone today, Ayumi-san?"

"No, one of the puppies needed to have a bath and Kagome-chan's better at keeping them calm during it." Ayumi pointed off to the side to a slightly open door, "She should be out in a moment if you want to see her."

It was at that moment that Kagome emerged from the room. In her hands was a fluffy, energetic Akita puppy. She smiled in recognition of him being a fairly regular customer and gave a short nod of her head in greeting before walking in the direction of where Ryuichi was still fussing with the other puppies. K watched as Kagome's steps hesitated when she spotted Ryuichi, and she took one small step backwards before firmly shaking her head and stepping forward again. There was no mistaking it, this had to be Ryuichi's so-called angel named Kagome.

Ryuichi paused with his playing as a set of hands placed a new fluffy puppy in with the others. He laughed when the other puppies dove forth to tackle the new one.

"They're more playful than usual." He froze at hearing the familiar voice, the same voice that had been in his head all day. He turned his head to look up at her. "Hello again, Ryuichi-san. Fancy seeing you here."

She smiled kindly at him and he stared in awe until K's chuckle snapped him out of it. He composed himself and discreetly looked her over to make sure she was in fact the same girl. She was wearing the same clothing he had seen her in that morning, a pair of faded blue jeans and a white button-up shirt. Her clothing was covered by a damp green apron.

"Kagome-chan, you work here?" He jumped to his feet quickly, startling the puppies and making them start barking. Kagome giggled at their antics and grabbed an orange ball. She squeezed it and the loud squeak that came from it easily distracted the puppies. She tossed the ball gently and the pups dove after it.

"I'm surprised to see you again so soon." Kagome stated as she turned to check on the other animals. Ryuichi followed after her.

"I'm not stalking you! I swear!" He blurted out loudly and Kagome turned half way to gaze at him, a small amused smiled on her lips.

"I didn't say you were. I doubt someone like you would do the stalking anyways."

"I am glad to see you again! I didn't think I would, but I did! Kuma-chan will be pleased!" Ryuichi babbled happily and Kagome smiled in return. It was a smile very similar to the one he had drawn her with. "Will you come have dinner with me and K? I want to know more about you."

Her smile faded away as her fingers slipped slowly over the head of a white bunny before pulling back. Ryuichi frowned. She was doing it again, he knew she was going to reject him.

"I'm sorry. I can't tonight, Ryuichi-san." She bowed her head and sighed softly. "It's not that I don't want to. Please understand that. I just have a lot to do is all."

"Ah, Kagome! It's started!" Ayumi called out frantically from where she was now kneeling. K was standing behind her, staring down into a small cardboard box. Kagome hurried to the door and flipped the sign from open to close and rushed to Ayumi's side.

"Already? I thought for sure Yume had a few more days."

Ryuichi made his way over to the others to see what the commotion was about. In the box below was a pregnant orange tabby cat and it was obvious that she was about to have kittens.

"I'm glad you're here today, Kagome-chan. I can't stay for more than another hour. Yume likes you better anyways. You'll be able to keep her calm." Ayumi stood slowly, "The two of you can stay until I leave, after that you'll have to go too or my father will throw a fit."

"It's alright, Ayumi-san. We have someplace we need to be anyways." K shot Ryuichi a meaningful glance and the singer knelt down next to Kagome.

"Can I see you again, Kagome-chan? Please?" Ryuichi asked and was more than pleased when her eyes met his and she nodded. "When?"

"Let me give you my phone number." Kagome jotted down her number and handed the piece of paper to him. "I'm off tomorrow afternoon, but chances are that I'll be here anyways."

"Thank you, Kagome-chan." He grinned at her and she blushed in return.

"Thanks for the fish food, Ayumi-san. I'll see you again soon." K called out, shaking the small yellow container of fish flakes in his hand.

"You're always welcome! See you next time." Ayumi walked them to the door and locked it after they stepped out. She turned her wide, brown eyes to her friend and pointed her finger at her. "You know Ryuichi Sakuma and you never told me! Oh my gosh, Kagome-chan! He totally likes you!"

"Keep your voice down. You're scaring Yume." Kagome replied dryly. "I don't really know him either. We only met this morning and believe me, I made a total fool of myself."

"It couldn't have been that bad. He was happy to see you. You're so lucky! He's famous, not to mention the hottest guy on the planet!"

"I'm telling Hojo you said that." Kagome quipped and smiled. "It's really not that big of a deal to me. He's cute, albeit a little weird. I got to hold that pink bunny he always has with him, you know that one he dressed up as when Bad Luck sold a million copies of their first album?"

"Mhm. I know the one, but really, who cares if he carries around a plush toy? The fact is, Ryuichi Sakuma wants to know more about you. What are you going to tell him?"

"I'll figure something out, Ayumi-chan. That's the least of my worries at the moment. Yume just had her first kitten!"

All conversation about Ryuichi was dropped and forgotten for the time being. Kagome knew Ayumi wouldn't let the topic rest for too long and she was sure she'd be hearing from Yuka and Eri soon too. Kagome just prayed that things turned out well, because in her life, things never went well and the scars she bore were proof of that.

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**A/N: I'd like to take this time to address a question that arose. This fic will follow the InuYasha series. It's one of those Kagome after the final battle type thingies. That's all I'm telling you because the rest will be revealed in time. 3**


	3. Their First Outing

**Title:** My Sweet Angel

**Author:** inuyashagirl5

**Rating:** M

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairing:** Kagome/Ryuichi

**Disclaimer:** I do not own InuYasha or Gravitation. InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Gravitation is owned by Maki Murakami. I only borrow their characters for my own amusement and for the amusement of my readers.

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**Chapter Three:** Their First Outing

"You cannot be serious! Please tell me you're lying!"

The high pitched yell coming out of Yuka's mouth wouldn't have bothered Kagome any, except for two reasons. One, they were in the middle of a nice, usually quite restaurant. And two, Kagome had gotten very little sleep that morning. She wouldn't complain about the lack of rest because Yume had had six healthy kittens and in her eyes it was worth missing the sleep to have seen it happen.

"Yuka-chan! Shh!" Ayumi scolded their friend, making the girl clamp a hand over her mouth and blush crimson.

"Kagome-chan, did you really give Ryuichi Sakuma your phone number?" Eri's expression said that she hadn't believed a word that had come out of Ayumi's mouth. Kagome took a long, slow sip of her lemon iced tea before nodding.

"I'm not lying. Come on you guys! You know Bad Luck's manager comes in from time to time for fish or fish food. Is it that hard to picture Ryuichi tagging along with him?" Ayumi defended herself while Eri looked skeptically at Kagome, who wasn't in the mood to discuss their current topic. Her friends wouldn't let this go though, and she knew she'd have to explain everything to them soon enough. Though only Ayumi would ever know the whole story.

"I suppose it's not hard to picture." Yuka mused silently and then slapped her hand on the table, startling her friends and a few of the other patrons, "But where did you get the guts to give him your number, Kagome?"

"He said he wanted to see me again. I figured it was probably the easiest way for him to reach me." Kagome answered and glared at Yuka, "Stop making a fuss. It's not a big deal."

"Gosh, Kagome-chan! Only you would think it's not a big deal!" Yuka huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "This is Ryuichi Sakuma we're talking about. He wants to spend time with you. You should feel thrilled!"

"You're lucky, Kagome-chan." Eri stood slowly, her eyes on her watch. She fished around her purse and tossed some money on the table. "Yuka-chan and I have to get to work. We'll pick this subject back up the next time we're together. I still want proof."

Kagome blinked at Eri a couple times before it registered that her cell phone was ringing. She gave a tired sigh before ignoring her friend's rants in favor of answering it.

"Hello?" She spoke softly, well aware that her friends were still staring.

"Kagome-chan? Is that you? You sound so small!"

Kagome blinked a few more times before blushing madly and responding.

"Yes, it's me. I'm just tired is all." She said quickly, turning to the side to avoid the inquiring eyes of her friends. "How are you today, Ryuichi-san?"

"Ryuichi-san?" Eri and Yuka squeaked together and Ayumi muttered a soft, smug _"Told ya." _in their direction. Kagome ignored them as best as she could.

"Ne, Kagome-chan, what was that? Are you at work? Was that a talking parrot?"

"That was Eri-chan and Yuka-chan, a couple of my friends. They were just leaving though."

"Please, tell me that you're not busy tonight and that you want to spend some time with me! Please, Kagome-chan! You're not too tired, are you?" Ryuichi's pleading voice sounded so cute and childish. She was having a hard time believing it was actually him. If she didn't know better, she'd think she was talking to a grown up Shippo. That, of course, wasn't possible since Shippo was dead. "Kagome-chan are you still there?"

Kagome brushed aside the sad thoughts of Shippo. Now was not the time to think of such things. She was on the phone with Ryuichi Sakuma!

"Yes, I'm still here." She replied in a soft voice and she heard his soft sigh follow.

"You don't want to see me, do you?" Kagome was sure he was pouting at the phone, his big blue eyes probably shimmering with unshed tears. Hearing him sound sad didn't make her feel any better. So she mentally smacked herself a few times and answered.

"No, it's fine! I mean, um, we can do something together if you want to." Her words were rushed and her friends giggled at her. She scowled at them and continued, "Ayumi-chan and I are heading to the pet shop to check on Yume. Do you want to meet me there?"

"Yes!" He replied loudly, and Kagome was sure his head was probably bobbing up and down rapidly in his excitement.

"We'll likely be there in thirty minutes. I'll see you then?"

"Yes! Thank you, Kagome-chan!"

She stared down at her cell phone after he abruptly hung up. Ayumi grinned at her friend, whose eyes softened as she flipped her phone shut. Yuka and Eri squealed in unison.

"Oh my gosh, Kagome! You and Ryuichi Sa..."

"Don't you two have to be to be to work now?" Kagome interrupted their yelling, especially before they yelled out Ryuichi's whole name. She lifted one eyebrow at Eri when she huffed in protest.

"Don't think for one second that I won't call you later! I want to know every single detail!" Eri stormed off with Yuka scurrying behind her.

Ayumi chuckled at their friends before giving Kagome a concerned look. Eri and Yuka didn't understand a thing about their friend. They knew nothing about who Kagome really was. She knew everything though, but it was only by accident that she learned the whole truth about Kagome, the truth to why she was really absent from school so much. The truth to why she wasn't the same as she used to be.

"Are you going to be alright with this, Kagome? You know you don't have to take this step if you don't want to." Ayumi said and smiled for her friend, "If you're not ready..."

"It's been almost two years, Ayumi. They've been dead for almost two years and they can't expect me to mourn them forever."

"I doubt they wanted you to mourn them for this long." Ayumi was quick to point out. "They cared about you. They would want you to be happy in life. You were their family."

"I can't guarantee that I'll be okay with this, but I want to try." Kagome replied with a soft smile, her right hand coming to rest over her heart. "I just feel in my heart that spending time with him will make me feel a little less hollow. That feeling only goes away with a few people, and I really hope he's one of them."

"He really does seem interested in you. Tell me, Kagome, how did you meet him?"

"The other morning, I had that nightmare again and wasn't able to fall back asleep. Not that I'm ever able to after that nightmare. I got up and walked to that park that's near the shop."

"I know the one. It's pretty."

"Mm... I was there for about an hour, singing to myself like I sometimes do when I'm feeling down, when I heard someone approach. I was expecting an animal, or maybe even an attacker, but it was Ryuichi. Ayumi, he said he thought I sounded beautiful! HE complimented ME on my voice!"

"Kagome, your voice is beautiful. Anyone who has heard you sing knows that." Ayumi stood and placed some money on the table, paying for herself and Kagome. "Come on. We should get to the shop. I have to do an inventory check tonight."

"How fun." Kagome said dryly, "I'm glad it's my night off."

Things at the pet store were amusing to say the least. Apparently Ryuichi couldn't wait thirty minutes to meet her and was now asking Ayumi's father many different questions about the animals in the store. Kagome and Ayumi shared an amused glance before stepping further inside, much to Ayumi's father's delight.

"Thank goodness you girls are here!" He waved them over, gaining Ryuichi's attention as well, "I have something I need to do. I trust you can handle things?"

"Kagome-chan!" Ryuichi bounced up to her and grinned at her. His eyes quickly raked over her appearance, admiring the way the pink dress fit her. "Aw! Kagome-chan looks really pretty today and she matches Kuma-chan!"

"Everything is fine, father. Go ahead." Ayumi shooed her dad off and took her place behind the counter, giving Kagome and Ryuichi a moment alone to talk.

"Thank you for the compliment, Ryuichi-san. My mother made this dress for me." Kagome answered with a smile.

"I wasn't sure what you wanted to do, but maybe we can walk for a bit and then maybe get dinner and see a movie?" Ryuichi followed after her, but stopped at the counter instead of going behind it.

"Sure, that sounds nice. Let me just check up on Yume and her kittens first." She stepped away from him to join Ayumi behind the counter. "How are they?"

"Nursing or sleeping. They're really cute too. Have you thought about which one you might take home?" Ayumi asked as Kagome knelt down next to the box. Yume mewed softly up at her and Kagome ran her fingers over head to scratch behind her ears.

"No, not yet. I'd like to see their personalities first. I'd hate to end up with another Buyo." Kagome smiled at the thought of the fat cat at the shrine.

"Aw, but he's such a cute, fat cat!" Ayumi giggled.

"I just want something that's playful is all. Can't get Buyo to do much of anything. He only eats and sleeps." Kagome muttered.

"Then get a dog."

"No." Kagome stuck her tongue out her friends as she stood. "Alright, I'm heading out. Have a good night, Ayumi and I'll talk to you later."

"Have fun!" Ayumi called out and waved goodbye to them when Kagome joined Ryuichi's side. He smiled and nodded at her, then led Kagome out the door and into the bright afternoon sun. He slipped his sunglasses on stealthily, then flipped up the hood of the black sweatshirt he was wearing.

"Are you sure this is alright, Ryuichi-san?" Kagome asked while looking around, making sure no one was watching them. Once satisfied, she looked back up at him, only to find him staring intently at her. She blushed deeply and tucked a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, pulling her gaze away from his.

_'She really is beautiful.' _His lips curved into a small smirk. "Yes, we'll be fine. Come on!"

He grabbed her hand, not caring if she minded or not, but she didn't pull away. Perhaps she didn't mind? Either way, he was happy with the results.

He pulled her along down a couple side streets, ones that were empty but for a few stray people mulling about and finally came to a stop near a black limo parked just outside of a flower shop. He let his eyes wander down the streets, but only a few old women came into sight. He grinned to himself. He had picked the perfect street for the limo to stay out of sight of large groups of people. And they always thought he couldn't take care of himself in public!

"I take it this is your ride?" Kagome asked quietly and watched as the limo driver hurried to open the door.

"There's a place I want to take you for dinner, but it's too far to walk." He replied and turned to face her. He removed his sunglasses and looked down at her, "Is that alright?"

Kagome blushed again. The way his blue eyes darkened ever so slightly was overwhelming. It made it difficult for her to focus on her answer.

_'He's more intimidating than Naraku right now...' _Kagome swallowed and nodded at him. With a soft, nervous voice she spoke, "O-Of course."

Ryuichi blinked at her, confused at the sudden change in her voice. He didn't want her to be scared of him. He smiled kindly at her.

"You don't have to be nervous, Kagome-chan. We'll have fun!" He led her towards the open door and let her get in first. He turned to the driver, "The plans are the same so far."

"Of course, Sakuma-sama." The driver replied and closed the door once Ryuichi was safely inside.

Ryuichi settled himself into the seat next to Kagome. He watched as she looked around the inside of the vehicle and he knew this had to be her first time in a limo. His eyes fell on the small space between their hands resting on the seat. He had a strong urge to close that distance and hold her hand once again. Not wanting to move too fast, and possibly make Kagome even more nervous, Ryuichi moved his hand into his lap.

"So," He began, attempting to break the silence between them. Kagome looked his way and waited. "How long have you been working at the pet store?"

"Not too long. Almost a year now." Kagome replied.

"Do you enjoy it?"

"Sometimes. There are days when I'm there when I wish I was someplace quieter." She answered, "But, it is fun working with Ayumi."

"The two of you seem very close. I like watching the two of you interact. It's very friendly!" He grinned when she laughed. It was a soft, peaceful sound and he wanted to hear it more. A lot more.

"We've known each other for a long time, and we've been through a lot together." Kagome admitted, though she hoped he didn't ask her to elaborate. There was no way she could tell him what she had gone through and how Ayumi came to find out about it. At least, not yet.

"So, then she knows you better than anyone else?"

"Yes." Kagome answered hesitantly. "I suppose she probably does. She listens to me better than my other friends."

"What are they like? Will I get to meet them too?"

Kagome pondered over the questions for a few moments. Ryuichi certainly did want to know a lot about her and she couldn't remember a time when someone was _that _curious about _her_. It was nice, but she didn't want to bore him with her _almost _boring life.

"Eri-chan and Yuka-chan are a pair of rumor-filled, chatterboxes. I don't see them very often because they are in their first year of college." Kagome paused for a moment, uncertain if she should mention her other friend. Figuring he'd probably want her to be honest, she continued on. "Hojo-kun is in college too, but he calls me almost daily. He's friendly, caring and very overwhelming to be near, but he is Ayumi's fiancee, so I deal with it."

"Ayumi-chan is getting married?"

"Yes." She nodded and smiled brightly, "Hojo loves her a lot! They're very happy together!"

"And that makes you happy?"

"Yes, definitely." Kagome answered honestly. She was very happy that Hojo finally gave up on her and noticed how truly wonderful Ayumi is.

Her cheerful smile was amazing! Ryuichi felt blinded by its vibrancy and he knew this was just a small glimpse of who she was being shown to him. He wanted to know more about his angel and as long as she allowed it, he was going to learn everything about her!

"I hope I get the chance to meet them." He turned his head to the opposite side to check their location, then added, "I want you to meet my friends as well."

"That...might be a bit intimidating." She laughed, "But, it would only be fair. I mean, Eri-chan and Yuka-chan can be scary and you...they're crazy, crazy fan girls. You won't be safe."

"My friends aren't that scary, Kagome-chan. They'll like you. K already does!"

"Mm...your friends may not be scary in your eyes, but for someone like me, it's different. You and your friends are famous, I'm just...Kagome who works in a pet store."

"So?" He looked back over to her and frowned. Her smile was gone and her eyes were blank as she looked at the floor. "None of that matters to me. I want to get to know you and I want you to be comfortable with me."

"I'd...like that, really." There was a small wistful smile that appeared, a smile he wanted to remember to draw later. "And...it's not because of who you are...but more because of who you _really _are."

"Agreed!" He grinned and she giggled. "We'll worry about friend introductions later on. Let's just get to know each other first!"

The limo came to a stop a little while later and the driver hurried around to the door. Kagome was surprised to find themselves in a more populated location than before and people were already gathering to see who was inside the vehicle.

"Do you go through this every time you go out, Ryuichi-san?" She questioned him and he nodded a few times rapidly.

"Don't worry though, Kagome-chan! They have crowd control!" He pointed at a trio of burly men that stepped out to push the crowds to the sides of the entry way, "Of course, this method just assures those in the crowd that someone famous is inside!"

The noise from outside was loud once the door to the car was opened. Ryuichi smirked and slowly moved from his seat to step out and Kagome could see in his eyes just how much he enjoyed the attention. He grinned and waved to the crowd that was now shouting out his name and taking pictures. It was quite the spectacle to Kagome, who was used to receiving little to no attention.

Ryuichi turned back to the limo and smiled at Kagome who was watching him with a smile of her own. He leaned into the door and offered his hand to her. She accepted without hesitation and he felt his heart skip a beat on contact. He helped her from the vehicle and led her inside, away from the loud crowd outside.

"That, " she started and laughed softly, "was really different. But, you looked so happy! Being in the spotlight suits you very well!"

"It's a place I am very comfortable with."

"I can tell." Kagome replied and smiled as he released her hand to pull out a chair for her, "Thank you."

He sat down across from her and from there, they entered into quiet conversation about their lives and their typical daily routines. She listened as he spoke of his band mates and of his growing friendship and rivalry with Shuichi Shindou. She spoke about her family and of how smart her little brother was and how she was sure he'd make an awesome doctor one day.

He was enjoying every second in her company. She was opening up to him so quickly and he didn't know what had happened or what he had said to get her to be this way, but he wouldn't complain.

Kagome did her very best to avoid speaking of the past, which wasn't too difficult, choosing instead to speak of her family and her friends in this era. But, deep down, she believed one day she could tell him everything.

The meal went quickly and the pair made their way back out through the crowd and into the waiting limo. As they were settling in, his cell phone rang. He cast her a small, apologetic smile and answered it.

"Hello, Tohma-kun!" He said cheerily into the phone and Kagome quickly covered her mouth to quiet her giggling.

"Where are you?" Tohma asked calmly and Ryuichi frowned into the phone.

"Out!" He answered. He could hear Tohma release a deep sigh.

"I need you back at the studio. Did you forget about the interview?"

He had completely forgotten about it.

"No." He lied and pouted. His time with Kagome was about to be cut short. "I'm on my way now."

He clicked his phone shut before Tohma could say anything else. This was not what he wanted to do tonight.

"Work calling you?" Kagome asked quietly.

"Yeah." He nodded sadly and Kagome reached over to squeeze his hand.

"You can call me later if you'd like? I don't care about the time either. I don't have work again tomorrow, well, unless they really need me." He gave her another short nod and she pulled away from him. "We're not far from my home. You can drop me off here."

"Alright." He alerted the driver to stop and let Kagome out and told them that he needed to get back to the studio quickly. The driver did as he was asked and pulled over.

"See this?" Kagome pointed out the window at the steps leading up to her home. "This is the Sunset Shrine, where my family lives. You are more than welcome to stop by. If I'm not at work, I'm usually helping out here."

The driver opened the door and Ryuichi stepped out first, but this time he didn't turn back to help her out. Kagome shrugged it off and climbed out on her own.

"I'll call you later. The interview shouldn't take that long." He spun around quickly and faced her. "I had fun, Kagome-chan and I want to do this again!"

"Un, I'd like that."

She was swept up into his arms so quickly it took her a few seconds to register that he was hugging her, tightly too. She returned his embrace, which was rather warm and comforting.

"I'll talk to you later, Kagome-chan." He spoke against the side of her head, but he didn't move to release her.

"Ryuichi-san, you're already late, aren't you?" She asked softly.

"I don't care. They can wait." He pouted and she giggled.

"Please, don't get yourself in trouble because of me. I'd feel bad."

"Fine." He pulled back and released her, "But, you shouldn't feel bad. It's not your fault I forgot!"

He grinned at her and waved. She waved back and he admired her beautiful smile once again. He was beginning to really adore that smile. He sunk down into the seat as the limo pulled away. He lifted Kumagoro from the empty seat he had occupied all night and held the plush close.

"She really is something else, Kuma-chan. Our angel is really special."

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Review please? Oh! An take the poll in my profile too! It'll make me happy! :3


	4. Falling Rain

**Title:** My Sweet Angel

**Author:** inuyashagirl5

**Rating:** M

**Genre:** Romance/Drama

**Pairing:** Kagome/Ryuichi

**Disclaimer:** I do not own InuYasha or Gravitation. InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Gravitation is owned by Maki Murakami. I only borrow their characters for my own amusement and for the amusement of my readers.

**A/N: **The rating has been changed due to possible later on content. I've plotted out up to chapter ten and I know where I want to go with this one, and in order to do so, the rating had to go up. I'll post warnings in advance when needed.

* * *

Chapter Four: Falling Rain

Ryuichi had called Kagome that same night and every single night the rest of the week, and always he apologized for being too busy to see her. She said it was fine. He was famous and music was more important. She was happy that he managed to find the time to call her at all.

During the same week, Yuka and Eri took it upon themselves to harass her daily. They'd either call and ask her tons of questions, some of which were embarrassing, or they'd stop by her home to ask even more questions. It was very frustrating, but the only way she could really avoid it was to shut off her phone. She refused to do that because then she might miss a call from Ryuichi and she didn't want to do that at all.

Then the end of the week came and so did the tabloid magazines with them on the cover. Each speculated on her identity. Some were good and the others were downright horrendous.

The least of the worst, she'd been called a relative, based solely on the fact that they each had blue eyes, a rarity in Japan.

Then, in another, she had been called a new plaything, because apparently, in the eyes of the writer for one such tabloid, Ryuichi liked toys and after awhile he would grow bored of her and toss her out like garbage. It seemed this writer had a clear distaste for the Nittle Grasper front man.

The most outrageous she'd read yet, was the one that referred to her as his underage lover. To this tabloid, she looked no older than sixteen and they criticized her for falling for an older man. They continued to sing the praises of Ryuichi Sakuma, who couldn't be blamed for being lured by a money-grubbing siren.

"You're a prostitute in this one, sis." Souta set a new tabloid paper down in front of her. She released another frustrated sigh and turned to the page with the article.

"Ah, this one claims I'm fifteen, work illegally at an undisclosed strip club and apparently I'm completely at fault again. I'm a gold-digging whore who conned Ryuichi Sakuma into taking me out. Unnamed sources say that I went back home with him and I was touching him inappropriately in public."

"So, all-in-all, you're an underage stripper that's sleeping with and older relative that will eventually toss you out when he's bored of you?"

"Apparently so." Kagome murmured and tossed the new article onto the pile with the rest. "I wonder what he thinks of all this?"

"I dunno, but isn't that his band mate on the television? That blonde guy. What's his name?"

"Tohma Seguchi..." She answered softly and turned up the volume.

_"Seguchi-san, who is the girl in the photos with Sakuma-san? Can you give us the truth?" One reporter questioned hastily, barely beating out the others around him._

_"The girl in the photos is just a friend of Ryuichi's and we ask that all the tabloids retract their false statements." Tohma answered, clearly prepared to answer such a question._

"Wow, he has a creepy smile..." Souta replied, but Kagome ignored him.

_"Does the girl have a name and is it true she is underage?" A different reporter asked._

_"She is nineteen to my knowledge and yes, she does have a name. I am not at liberty to give you such information though." Tohma calmly held up his hand to silence the reporters, "This is not why I called you here. I called you here to announce that Nittle Grasper will be touring Europe for three weeks next month and we will also be releasing a new single at the end of that tour."_

Kagome blinked at the screen and frowned. Ryuichi hadn't even hinted that he would be gone for awhile.

_'Not that he has to tell me anything of the sort...It is his life.'_

"Hello?" Souta took the liberty of answering his sister's phone while she stared blankly at the television. The Sleepless Beauty ring tone could only mean one thing, "Sakuma-san?"

"Uh, is Kagome-chan there?" He sounded confused and hesitant.

"Sorta." Souta answered with a grin. "She's staring off into space and frowning at the moment, which usually means she's bothered by something."

"Can I talk to her, please?"

"It's for you." Souta dangled the light pink phone just inches in front of his sister's face. When she startled, he laughed at her. "Welcome back, sis!"

He handed over her phone and fled before she could harm him. She muttered a soft curse before answering.

"Hello?" She spoked quietly, feeling rather drained and tired at the moment.

"I'm really sorry!" Ryuichi cried out. "I didn't mean for them to say bad things about you! I didn't think they would!"

"Ryuichi-san?" She was surprised to hear the desperation in his voice.

"Please forgive me, Kagome-chan!"

"For what? It's not your fault."

"But, because of me they said bad, evil things about you!"

"Please calm down. It's not that big of a deal." Kagome replied, "It doesn't really matter what they think of me. You are more important."

"How can you think that?" Ryuichi asked, his voice softer and deeper than before.

"I am easily forgettable. In a month, all those people will forget I exist." She answered, though she was finding it difficult to keep the tears from welling up, "It's normal."

_'Just like those in the past that are forgotten...at least then, I was important.'_

She choked back a sob as she clicked her phone shut, hanging up on Ryuichi in the process. She ran to her room, tears spilling forth freely. Slamming her door shut and locking it, Kagome slumped onto her bed and cried. It had been awhile since she had cried this much , but the pain of losing her friends in the past still hurt so much.

"Kagome, open the door!" Souta called out and rattled her locked door. "Come on, sis! Don't do this to yourself! Let me in!"

She didn't want to let him in though. He didn't need to see her like this. He deserved a sister that was strong, yet playful. A better sister than what she was right now.

She could hear the familiar ring from her phone out in the hallway and felt even more awful. She had hung up on Ryuichi. She once again made a fool of herself.

"It's fine. I don't deserve his attention anyways." She whispered to herself. "Aw, damn...I really am pathetic..."

"You're going to miss his call if you don't open the door and take the phone!"

"I need some air." She muttered, pulling herself up and off the bed. "It's no use dwelling on the past and feeling so miserable. Not to mention making others miserable."

She opened her door and placed her hand on Souta's head, giving him a soft, apologetic smile. He understood the meaning behind it, having had it done numerous times since she returned home for good. He was glad it was beginning to happen less and less these days.

"You missed a call." He handed over her phone and grinned, showing to her that it was alright and she hadn't upset him that badly.

"I'll call him back later. In the meantime, I'm going out for a run. Will you tell mom for me?"

"Sure, but remember to bring your phone in case she needs to call you, or if our cousin decides to make another call to his underage lover."

"Not funny." Kagome growled.

"It is to me!" Souta laughed and hurried off to his room, calling back as he went, "Have fun! You need it!"

As he disappeared into his bedroom, she smiled. She was grateful to have Souta for a little brother. The boy certainly knew how to lighten things up and on some days, like today, she really needed that. He'd been so strong and he put on such a brave face to keep her happy, even when he'd learned the fate of his hero and the others. He'd done his best to be a pillar of support for her, giving her a shoulder to cry on if she needed it.

She quickly changed into her light blue, cotton jogging attire and grabbed her iPod and sneakers. She went jogging fairly often, wanting to keep herself in shape and it often distracted her from the depression that sometimes crept up on her. There were times when Souta and Ayumi would join her too, but today, she wanted to jog alone.

Setting off for her favorite jogging place, the same park she met Ryuichi Sakuma, Kagome cranked up the volume on her iPod and set the setting to shuffle. She giggled softly as a Nittle Grasper song popped up first.

_'It figures. I really need to call him back and apologize for being rude.'_

She was pleased to discover that the park had very few people in it. She wouldn't have to worry about knocking people over by accident and she wouldn't have to slow down to avoid them either. She loved it when it was nearly empty, especially on the mornings when she had awoken from the reoccurring nightmare containing the images of her friend's deaths. There were few places she could go to not disturb her family as they slept. Souta always heard her if she stayed on the shrine grounds and her own apartment creeped her out, mostly because it was given to her from an unknown source.

_'Not that I mind having the whole floor to myself...I just wish I knew who is behind it.'_

Ryuichi sighed softly again. Kagome was mad at him and he felt so terrible for disrupting her normal life. He should have known better than to take her to that restaurant. Tabloid writers were always mingled in with the crowd, waiting patiently for new bait and he had fed them what they were looking for. He had been stupid.

After she had ignored his calls, he was frustrated. He wanted to apologize and make her understand that he hadn't meant for any of this to happen. But she didn't answer and there was no one around him to talk to about it. Deciding it was likely the others were too busy, he snuck away once again.

In his semi-distracted state, he never realized where his feet had brought him until he heard the soft laughter of two old women on a nearby bench feeding the birds. He blinked and looked around.

"I'm at the park..." He said. The old women laughed a little louder, catching his attention.

"Yes, you are, aren't you?" One of them asked and gave him a nearly toothless grin. The other cackled wildly, scaring away the few birds they had been feeding. "The youth of today...so stupid."

"Stupid, yes!" The one that cackled nodded her head rapidly, causing her tiny red hat to wobble.

"Oh, you foolish old hag, shut up!" The first old woman turned part way to face the other and whacked her over the head with a piece of the bread. "No one wants to hear you voice!"

As the woman who had been slapped with the bread began to cackle again, Ryuichi knew he needed to get away. This was not something he wanted to deal with, not when he was alone and with out K as back-up.

He stepped back a few feet, not looking where he was going at all. The force that slammed into him was anough to knock him onto his back, leaving him stunned.

"Sorry!" The girl's voice was familiar and his eyes shot up to look at the girl straddling his hips. Her eyes were still clenched shut tight and her cheeks were a deep pink. "I'm such a klutz!"

"Ka-Kagome-chan?" She didn't answer and he noticed the cords leading up to her ears and plucked one out. Her eyes opened slowly and he watched as her eyes grew wide. He could help but to smirk up at her, "Hello, Kagome-chan."

"Ryu..." She jumped as he pushed himself up on both elbows, bringing his face much closer to hers. He watched her blush spread across her face and to her neck, and he wondered if it just kept going lower.

Kagome realized the awkward and provocative positions of their bodies and froze. Her brain was trying to tell her to move, but her legs refused to run anymore.

"I liked that. Say it again." Ryuichi leaned closer and placed his lips next to her ear. "Go ahead and call me Ryu again, Kagome-chan!"

She didn't contemplate his closeness for long and with a soft squeak, Kagome removed herself from his lap and jumped to her feet.

"Ryuichi-san, what are you doing here?" She asked breathlessly.

He pouted at the use of his full first name, but brushed it aside as she offered him a hand to help him up. She looked at him expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"After you refused to answer my calls I went for a walk." He shrugged. "It's not like I knew you would be here."

He took in the sight she made in the jogging suit. The soft blue played perfectly with the deeper blue of her eyes and the whole thing clung to her body, showing off curves he hadn't noticed before.

"Oh that..." She mumbled and turned her head slightly to the side, avoiding his intense stare. "I...I'm known to have small breakdowns at times. I apologize. I shouldn't have hung up on you."

"I made you sad?"

"No, no!" She shook her head back and forth before stopping and placing her left hand over her eyes. This wasn't going to be easy. "There were things that happened in the past and I lost friends that were very close to me. It still upsets me from time to time. So, no, you didn't make me sad at all."

Kagome jumped as she was pelted in the shoulder by a piece of crusty bread, followed by a second piece whizzing past her face. The two old women laughed loudly and Ryuichi groaned.

"Ignore them. They're senile." He replied, taking her hand into his, ignoring the affronted gasp of one of the old woman emitted and pulled her away from them. Since she was there, they could talk. "I really am sorry for all the trouble I've caused you. I should have known better."

She smiled and gave a short nod of acceptance.

"Though...well, it still really doesn't bother me." She replied and glanced over at him. It's only mildly troublesome and that's because my brother will use it to tease me."

"He sounds young!"

"Yeah, he's only thirteen." Kagome answered, "He's really smart though, and a really good brother."

There it was again. That beautiful, cheerful smile of hers that he so adored. The smile he wished adorned her face all the time, not just in a few rare moments.

"Can I meet him someday?"

"I'm sure that's possible!" She nodded, "I'm sure he'd like it too, though...he's more of a Shindou fanboy."

She laughed softly at her own words and smiled when he grinned. It was weird, but she liked this with him. The comfortable playfulness made her feel more at ease and made her feel she could be more like herself. That was something she so desired while spending time with one of Japan's hottest men. Of course, that thought only made her blush.

"I'm a Shindou fanboy myself!" He laughed happily, "Especially when he sparkles!"

"Sparkles?"

"You've never seen him perform live, have you?" At the negative shake of her head, Ryuichi gasped, "Kagome-chan, you absolutely must see Bad Luck play! It's amazing!"

"I hope to someday. Souta went with his friends a few months ago. He had a lot of fun." Kagome replied, "He gloated about it for weeks!"

Ryuichi laughed at that, steering her gently down a side path, pleased that she had yet to pull her hand from his. She let him lead her, knowing already that the path ended almost near her rarely used apartment.

"Well, their show is something to gloat about!"

They took a few more steps down the path and froze as a warm downpour crashed over them. Kagome looked around for a suitable shelter to wait out the rain, but there was nothing in sight that wasn't already occupied.

_'Figures...'_

She saw Ryuichi reaching for his phone, looking all wet and rather sexy, and she shook that thought off and tugged on his hand.

"Come on!" She raised her voice above the drumming of the falling rain. She led him along the rest of the path quickly. She wanted to get him out of the rain as soon as she could. With a tour coming up, she knew she couldn't let him get sick.

Ryuichi ran along behind her, wondering where she was taking him, but not protesting because his voice was suddenly very hard to find. Kagome was drenched, and no doubt he was too, but her jogging suit was clinging to her body more now than it had been before and, as a man, he couldn't help but to admire that.

He blinked as they stepped into the lobby of a nice, high-class, apartment complex. The security man behind the counter was already making his way towards them, likely to kick them out. He wasn't sure why she would do something so brash.

"Oh! Higurashi-san!" The guard stopped and Ryuichi blinked again.

"I, um, don't have my key with me, Koboshi-san." Kagome said softly, aware that Ryuichi was staring at her, but she focused her attention on the man now hurrying back to his post.

"It's been awhile, Higurashi-san!" The old man stated loudly as he waved them closer to his desk, "Here! Please do return it before you leave. That is the only spare."

"I will. Thank you!" She accepted it and gave a short bow to the man. She tugged on Ryuichi's hand again, leading him off to the elevator. Once inside, he turned to her.

"Kagome-chan?"

"It's a long story." She smiled and brushed his wet bangs out of his face. His eyes widened slightly and she blushed and pulled away. "I'm not sure how it happened, but I've come to own the top floor. My mother just one day handed me a set of keys and said a friend wanted me to have them. She refuses to tell me who it was, only saying that we can trust him."

"It was just given to you?" He followed her out of the elevator.

"Yeah, but I don't come here often. Only when I want to be by myself." She opened the door and motioned for him to enter. "It's my home away from home. I guess, eventually I'll live here, but for now, it's just a quiet place. Wait here please."

She closed the door and disappeared down a dark hallway. Even though she didn't come here too often, she still could make her way about the place like a pro.

She quickly peeled off her soaked clothing and changed into a pair of old, faded blue jeans and a soft pink t-shirt. She scoffed at the minimal amount of clothing she had there, then paused as she came to a realization. She didn't have anything for Ryuichi to change in to.

_'Oh crap...what should I do?'_

She let her eyes drift around her room, looking for something suitable for him to be warm and dry in while she dried their clothing. The only thing she could find was her blanket. Sure it was big enough to keep him covered, but...

_'It'll be like he's almost naked...oh crap! But, I can't just let him sit around all wet like that...'_

She pouted. It was unavoidable. His health was far more important than her insecurities. She could deal with it for an hour at least. She had been around mostly naked men before, cute ones too.

_'Not that I meant to see them like that...oh crap! He's still standing out there! Get a grip girl!'_

Shaking herself out of her inner ramblings, Kagome quickly removed the blanket from her bed, then retrieved a couple towels from the linen closet. She found him standing in the same spot she had left him, shivering only slightly.

"I apologize, but, I don't have anything for you to wear." She glanced to the side to avoid his eyes and handed him the blanket, "Um, this'll have to do until your clothes dry, which shouldn't take too long in the dryer, which I have, um, down the hall and..."

"You're rambling, Kagome-chan!" He grinned and thoroughly enjoyed the dark blush that had spread across her cheeks. She blushed a lot when around him and he liked it. He accepted the blanket she offered and set it aside, "Turn around!"

She was about to protest and usher him down to the bathroom, but he wasted no time in removing the drenched shirt he was wearing. He smirked as she sputtered a little and at his soft chuckled, she gained enough sense to turn around.

"Sorry." She muttered quietly.

"It's alright." He replied, his deep blue eyes roving over her backside, before pulling away. He knew she was already very nervous, he didn't want to make it worse. He quickly wrapped the blanket around his waist and lifted his wet clothing. "Here, this is all of it."

"The dryer will take a while, so go ahead and take a seat on the couch. I can make some tea too."

"That sounds great!"

Taking his wet clothing and handing him a towel, she hurried off to the dryer. She gathered her own clothing along the way. Looking at it all now, she realized one small thing. Either he was still wearing his underwear, or...

_'He said this was all of it...oh crap! He doesn't wear underwear!'_

She knew her face had to resemble a tomato by now. A very warm, red tomato. There was no way she could face him right now. This revelation was a bit too much for her inner fangirl to handle.

_'Tea! That's right! I'll make tea first and give myself more time to recover!'_

Tossing the clothing into the dryer and starting it, Kagome quickly made her way towards the kitchen, trying very hard not to look in Ryuichi's direction. She feared if she looked, she'd remain red and thoroughly embarrassed because of it.

_'But, one small glance wouldn't hurt, right?'_

He was shivering, she could tell easily by the way his shoulders shook. That wasn't good at all. She spun around and raced back to the linen closet, grabbing the navy blue comforter folded neatly on the bottom shelf. She didn't bother to close the door and hurried back to him, startling him with her abrupt entry. He gazed into her worried eyes, confused with her unusual behavior. But she didn't say anything, just simply removed the damp towel from his head and replacing it with another blanket.

"Thank you." He smiled up at her and snuggled into the new blanket. She relaxed and returned the smile.

"I'll go make tea now. It should help to warm you up."

He watched her hurry away with a soft smile, that same smile he'd seen her with when she had brushed the dirt off of Kumagoro's head. She was motherly, he noted, and she had shown concern for him and his health and had brought him to her place, a place she rarely ever visited. He felt happy knowing that she was worried for him. That thought made him reach for his cell phone. He should at least tell K where he was so no one else would worry.

"Ryuichi?" K's voice clearly sounded concerned and Ryuichi pouted. It seemed he was a bit too late.

"Yup!" He answered into the phone, "Is Kuma-chan alright? He's not lonely, is he?"

"Shindou-kun is keeping him company." K replied, "Tohma isn't happy that you snuck out without telling anyone where you were going."

"Kuma-chan likes spending time with Shu-chan! He must be happy!" He exclaimed happily, ignoring the comment about Tohma and continuing. "I was left alone all day to sing and I was lonely, so I left! No one cared, so I knew it'd be alright to go out and get some fresh air!"

"Are you out of the rain?"

"I am now! I ran into Kagome-chan at the park again! We got stuck in the rain for a little bit, but then she brought me to her place! It's really nice, just like Kagome-chan!"

"When can we expect you back? It would be good to give Tohma a time."

"I don't know when and Tohma doesn't need a time. He didn't give me time today. Besides, I have to wait for my clothes to dry. That could take some time!" Ryuichi could hear K's soft sigh and pouted again, "I'll call you when my clothes are dry and I need to be picked up."

"Alright. Have fun then, Ryuichi. I'll let Tohma know you're alright."

Ryuichi didn't answer and hung up, setting his phone down and snuggling back into the blankets to wait for Kagome. He wasn't in any rush to head back to the studio. He hoped the dryer took hours, that way he could spend more time with Kagome and get to know her more and more!

Kagome hesitated in her steps as she listened to Ryuichi talk on the phone and she frowned as he mentioned Tohma. She really hoped she wasn't causing any trouble for them. She didn't want to be a btoher to either of them. Straightening her shoulders, she pushed the thought from her mind. She had more important things to take care of at the moment.

_'Like making sure Ryuichi stays warm...even if he is lacking...oh crap, not again!'_

Her cheeks warmed quickly and she groaned softly. That was not a helpful thought to remember right before going in and facing him again. She shook her head to clear the images and moved to where he was.

"I'm sorry for making you wait." She said in a soft tone and he looked up at her. He smirked at her, making her already pink cheeks darken as her eyes darted away. She set the tray with the tea on the table before him.

"It's alright. I was comfortable while you were busy!" He shrugged the blue comforter off of his shoulders, letting it pool around his waist. He smirked again after her eyes skimmed over his bare chest before darting away. She was adorable and he couldn't help but to tease her just a little bit. He enjoyed making her blush, which she continued to do as she served him tea.

She sat on the floor across from him and flinched at the bright flash of lightning. The weather seemed to be taking a turn for the worse.

"It's good that we made it inside when we did." She replied quietly, sipping the hot tea in her cup. "I'd hate for you to get sick before leaving for Europe."

"Eh? You know about that already?"

"Yes. Seguchi-san was on television this morning. Didn't you see?"

"No. I was busy." Ryuichi moved to sit on the floor, wanting to be level with Kagome as they talked, "What did he say?"

"He answered a few random questions, with skill I might add, and then announced the tour in Europe."

"Random questions? Like the tabloid stuff? Was it that bad?"

"Yes, the tabloid stuff and no, it wasn't that bad. He told them we are friends." Kagome answered with a soft smile and he grinned happily.

"No one can stop us from being friends, Kagome-chan! I won't let them!" He proudly exclaimed, making her giggle.

"I'm glad." She admitted, and turned her head slightly to look outside. His eyes softened as they settled on her profile. He was pleased that she was happy being his friend. He knew she sincerely meant it. There was no falsity in the way she spoke, or in her expression. She really was happy they were friends. He was comforted by that.

"I'm glad too." He answered and when she looked over at him he continued, "And thank you for taking care of me. I like it."

"You're welcome." She replied and blushed so prettily. Yeah, he really did enjoy watching her cheeks darken because of things he said or did.

They sat together and watched through the window as the storm passed, then died down to a light shower. She admitted to liking the rain, especially on days she didn't have to work because then she could be lazy and read a book. Ryuichi enjoyed the rain as well and explained to her that sometimes the raindrops sounded like music, like a bunch of drummers had come together to perform. She had closed her eyes after his explanation, then agreed that he was right. She could hear it as well.

Forty-five minutes later she left him to check on the dryer, and returned with his clothing neatly folded. He begrudgingly accepted them and went to change. He knew he was supposed to call K now, but he just wasn't ready to leave Kagome. He was having fun. He had gotten the chance to see other sides of her, and learn more about her.

"It's getting dark." She spoke from where she was standing by the balcony door, staring out into the darkening sky, "Are you hungry?"

"A little." He moved to stand next to her, letting his eyes follow where hers were directed, which was down to the park below. "How about we order a pizza?"

"Alright." She turned and watched him walk away.

Ryuichi scowled down at his phone. The second he had reached for it, the thing went off. He knew the number by heart and it figured he'd call just at that moment. With a loud sigh, he answered it.

"Yes?" He spoke into the phone, showing how annoyed he was with the interruption.

"Where are you?" Tohma asked, ignoring Ryuichi's curt tone.

"I'm still with Kagome-chan. Didn't K tell you?"

"Yes, awhile ago." Tohma replied drily. "We need you back at the studio now, Ryuichi. Noriko and I have been waiting over and hour for you to return."

"Fine. I'll leave now."

"Just tell me where you are and I'll send the driver to pick you up. It's raining heavily outside."

Ryuichi pouted, but told him where he could be picked up. Tohma sounded surprised to hear where Kagome lived, but he refused to go into detail with his friend and hung up. He turned to see Kagome facing away from him, her palm resting against the glass door as she continued to watch the world outside.

"I guess we'll have to get pizza next time, Kagome-chan." He spoke softly and she faced him with a small, clearly sad smile.

"I look forward to it." She said and moved towards the door. "I'll wait with you in the lobby though. It's better than having Koboshi-san getting confused by all the traffic to my place."

She laughed, but he found it hard to smile. She waited for him by the door, watching him as he stood there unmoving.

"Kagome-chan...I..."

"It's alright, Ryu-san." She grinned a little at the shortened version of his name. "You can call me later. You know that."

"Fine. I will." He smirked and followed after her as she led him back to the elevator. "You know, since we're friends, I must tell you that you're being too formal with me! I insist that you call me Ryu-kun!"

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely! Tohma said it himself, didn't he? We are friends!"

She laughed, really laughed, and he felt better. She was right. He could call her later, and he would because there was no way Tohma could make him work all night.

Tohma was waiting at the front door when they arrived, speaking politely to Koboshi, who was offering to call up to her apartment.

"That won't be necessary, Koboshi-san. Thank you." Kagome spoke loud enough for the old guard to hear. Ryuichi bounced forward to greet his friend, but Tohma's pale green eyes settled on her. She held his intimidating gaze for a few seconds before he turned his head away to address Ryuichi, dismissing her without a word. She felt hurt by that one little motion, but pushed the feeling aside. She hadn't expected him to want to be friends with her as well. He didn't have to.

"Let's get going, Ryuichi. We have a lot to do tonight." He turned from them and headed back towards the exit. Kagome's head dropped to her chest, avoiding Ryuichi's eyes.

"I'll talk to you later... Kagome-chan?"

"Later sounds great!" She put on a clearly fake, cheerful smile, which he didn't like at all. He wouldn't blame her though. Tohma had been rude.

"I promise. I'll call you." He pulled her in for a tight hug.

Kagome hesitated, seeing Tohma turn to see what was taking Ryuichi so long. She ignored his look, turning her gaze away from his and hugging Ryuichi back. She felt happy having his attention like this. She wasn't going to let anyone else ruin it.

"Until later then." She replied when he pulled away. He nodded and waved.

"Bye, Kagome-chan! Thank you again!"

She watched him leave and once the limo was out of sight she hurried back up to her apartment. She had no intention of spending the night there. She gathered her things and locked the place up behind her. She returned the spare key to Koboshi, thanking him for everything and promising to return again soon.

Despite the falling rain, she felt rather content with the day's events. Her emotions had been like a roller coaster, but in the end, she deemed it worth it because Ryuichi didn't seem bothered by any of it. So why should she?

With her feelings a little lighter, she jogged back to the shrine, enjoying the sound of the falling rain all around her and smiling, taking comfort in the music that played for her.

* * *

A/N 2: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was a long one... Anyways, please leave a review...and take the poll in my profile?


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